 Poster: A snowHead
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Are there any good web sites that I can look at for late deals?
I'm currently looking at Teletext.
I've already booked off the week starting 5th April so I intend to book just before so I can check the snow.
Thanks in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Try Igluski or Fast Track holidays. I've used them both. Fast Track in particular are very good. I've saved hundreds of pounds with them on brichure prices earlier this year. You need to do a search on their website and then ring the number provided. Their after sales service is excellent too.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Igluski were very good for me this year - went half price on the brochure price of a Total holiday. Very helpful... would use again (both the agent and the ski company)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Try www.skiworld.ltd.uk - they usually have some bargains on the late availability pages.
Especially if your prepared to leave it until the last week before you want to go.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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try www.iglu.com Call them rather than just looking at the website and you can negotiate.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I am thinking of a late deal next month and have been looking at ifyouski.com
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Try that again www.ifyouski.com
How do you get the link to the site to work everybody? 
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do'h it worked! 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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ski-holidays.com have done some good deals for me .
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This site is very good, http://www.flexiblebreaks.com , they even email you periodically to tell you of good deals you can mix with cheap flights they become aware of.
Top dogs.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hey, even the link worked.
I AM AN IT GOD!! 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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No, It's just that the software is brilliant. I'm rubbish on computers and even I can do it.
Better than elsewhere, if you know what I mean 
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http://www.co-opskiholidaysdirect.co.uk/
has done me some stupidly good deals over the last couple of years (£135 HB in Livigno, £165 3* in Cervina) - so it's worth registering for their email notifications.
JB
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You know it makes sense.
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Peter B, thats me shot down in flames then 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I'm sorry for being a miserable git - I just think this software is so much more user friendly. I'm having to have IT training at work and once I get past the basics, I'm stuffed.
If it makes you feel better, an IT God can you be, Master Yoda (Ah, the dark side!)
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Poster: A snowHead
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Don't forget to check out all the little operators....it takes a while but you can find some really good deals if you search them out. Try
www.topstravel.co.uk - beware they do school groups so you can end up being the last few people in a hotel full of kids, mind you they're pretty good at making sure it's not a problem
www.skitopia.com - only go to a few resorts but I've just booked Alpe d'Huez with them for £399 which includes lift pass, skis, boots and a FREE bar!
www.snowcoach.co.uk - does coach and flight holidays to just a few resorts, including some lesser known ones
www.skideals.com - does just Thompson, Crystal and First Choice so if you don't like these (and they're pretty bad!) don't go there
Also check out Inghams (www.inghams.co.uk) separately from the big sites as they don't market their offers through Iglu
And don't forget you can look at Teletext on the web at www.teletextholidays.co.uk which is much quicker than waiting for all those pages to scroll through on the TV.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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just keeping this live for all the useful web pages...
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Mmmm...I wondering whether to start a "Useful links" thread to aggregate this type of information...could include weather sites, winter gear shops, important Ski Clubs in Great Britain etc...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ian
That's a great idea (you should see the list of "favourites" in my computer). But it probably would be better as a section rather than a thread. Maybe a post to U in the sugggestions area.
Delegation. It's the art of Management. 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I recommend IGLU too.
129 quid per person mid March (flight, xfer + accom) for a couple.
NB This is for a 2 person s/c apt. in Avoriaz.
This is the price I've paid. No extras.
I'm amazed.
I couldn't stay in a B&B in my home town for a long weekend for that much!
Course... the lift past will probably be 150 or something like that :-/
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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But who cares! It's still cheap as chips. Just remember to take some sharp knives in your case, as well as washing up liquid & instant coffee/teabags.
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Would a Snowheads webpage be any better for the links? Maybe archive some of the more useful 'info' threads to a concise, simple page which might be easier for the average googler to find, or even for answers to obvious questions along the lines of "It's in the FAQ, goto www.snowheads......."
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I have mixed feelings about this; it would be nice to edit the collective info into a more coherent form, but on the other hand the fact that people ask questions and other people answer question is the whole point. What fun would it be if every post was answered by "It's in the FAQ, goto www.snowheads......."?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Not every question would (or even could) be answered that way but there's always some pearls of wisdom that could be given a more permanent home. I'm sure there'll be links to Snowheads meet-ups etc. to come as well and these could be worthy of having a page of their own.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I would certainly recommend Iglu ski. We have booked to go in to Italy in may, 3* half board for 1/2 brochure price (about £200). The exact same holiday, flight, accom etc. with ski-ski-ski.com was 'on sale' at £461.
I just hope the snow holds out...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Advice Please: going for late deals is rather like playing Chicken - how long can you wait? Too early and the price could go lower. Too late and there's nothing left. Just looked for Easter deals in Val Thorens. All seem full price just now. So when should I give in and take what's on offer?
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You know it makes sense.
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| Jonpim wrote: |
| Advice Please: .... So when should I give in and take what's on offer? |
On self-catering DIY breaks you won't get much of a deal by waiting - our Easter rates are already structured to fit demand, for example. The studio flat in Bourg St Maurice is priced at under £100 at that time (see SNOWeSCAPES) and it's not worth our while to let it out for less - we'd rather leave it empty, or use it for friends/family... There's sometimes a little leeway in the rates for the 3 bed apart, but again, they're pitched pretty low to reflect the market...
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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JP - we were planning to try a late deal in VT for Easter but in the end chickened out on the grounds that it was going to be a high demand period and we didn't have the courage for serious last minute booking...so we booked full price a couple of weeks ago.
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Poster: A snowHead
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In another place , I started a thread in the run up to the week before christmas to see how good a deal I could get, and how late I would dare leave it before booking. I faced a lot of similar problems that you will likely face with booking for Easter, ie only a few resorts having reasonable snow, and there being a lot less charter flights.
It takes a lot of nerve to hold out, and you do run the risk of not being able to go exactly where you want to, for instance I was unable to find flights and a package deal to Val Thorens, as it seems to have a slightly different high and low season to the rest of the alps due to its' altitude, which makes it very popular at the beginning and end of the season, however there does seem to always be vacancies in Val d'Isere.
I managed to hold out until the Wednesday before departure on the following Sunday, finally caving in after hearing scare stories about a lack of flights from the uk (true in parts, but it just meant that you had to look around). I saved about £150 on the borchure price, however if I had waited another day then I would have saved a further £170! I could have got a far cheaper deal, but I was pretty specific about where I wanted to stay, I did notice that the very best deals happened in the 24 hours prior to departure.
The overall conclusion of the thread seemed to be, that the longer you waited the lower prices would get, you would probably be able to get to the resort that you wanted, but not necessarily the specific accomodation, but if you found an offer that you liked the look of the book it there and then, and then stop looking at the prices! Be very careful when ringing to make enquiries on the telephone, the salespeople at the other end will tell you almost anything to make you book there and then, also be very suspicious of people who post on open forums saying that they got a good deal with so and so, and oh, by the way, I've heard that there are no places on the flight/on the transfer coach/in the resort.
All of the above applies if you are a single traveller or a couple, it is slightly harder in groups of four, and larger groups have to pre-book if you all want to be in the same accomodation.
The exception to the above rule is half term week, if you want to book that week, with child care, then you really should be paying your deposit now for 2005, some chalets are booked up for the next four or five years!
I had a great time the week before christmas, I've got a week booked off towards the end of March, and I'm going to try to get two of us to a catered chalet in a major resort (apologies to DG) for under £300 each.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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By the way are you the one from Seinfeld?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Yes.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The rule of thumb I've been formulating on IGLU, is that you can probably get the package you want for half-price. But, to go for it as soon as it becomes available at half-price. It may later be available for less, but it's not certain.
I've tried other places as well as IGLU, but they're no good. LastMinute is sometimes ok, but you do need to know a good price when you see it.
In Dec 02 I got a good deal through IGLU (wk catered chalet hotel VdI). I found out it was a crystal package, so I thought I'd check it out on their online booking system. I discovered that for the same deal, differing only in departure airport, the price changed between 570 and 230. I guess it's expensive flying from Birmingham sometimes...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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That's a good strategy Crosbie.
My other Golden Rule is once you're on holiday, never discuss how much you paid for it, firstly it's vulgar and bad manners, secondly it'll either make you hate the person that you're talking to, or vice versa.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I know what you mean about keep schtumm on hols.
But, the fact remains, prices do change dramatically.
Althought I think those 99 quid allocation on arrival deals are a bit cheeky. I think they're deliberately created to catch the bargain hunters.
Check 'em out and you find they're for 4 sharing. 2 sharing is 180. which isn't exactly bargain of the century.
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In terms of timing - I'd say if its your first or only holiday - good deals seem to appear 2-3 weeks before. If you find a good deal to a resort you actually want to go to and with named accomodation then its worth taking it there and then. (Managed to get about half price on normal brochure price)
If you're in the fortunate position of getting a second week - then thats the time to look for 24/48 hour bargains (thinking of doing that myself in a few weeks). That way if you don't get a good deal and can't go - its not the end of the world because you've already had a fab holiday.
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Couldn't agree more, I would also add that if conditions are great it doesn't matter so much where you end up, however if they are not so good then it's vital to go to one of the more snow-sure resorts, therefore worth booking earlier.
The week at the end of March will be my 5th week skiing this year, 3 booked in advance, two booked at the last minute. If I don't manage to sort something out then I'm just going to go on a citybreak somewhere, so it's not a huge loss.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Just got a belting deal with Lastminute.co.uk. Travelling with Inghams to Courchevel 1650 in a named clubhotel, on the piste for 20th March for £200 each below brochure price. I tried to get Cervinia but all the accommodation I wanted had gone over the weekend. You really have to book quickly. On Friday, there were 6 rooms available at my first choice hotel - today none!
If you see a deal, go for it! You have to balance choice with price, and know when the time is right to get out the plastic!
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just thought that this thread was worth putting to the top again.
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FAQ
